16 Moving Tips you Haven’t Heard

You hired professional movers and your move-in date is set. You’ve exhausted the gamut of advice from friends and strangers on what to do: made a moving checklist, stuffed your wine glasses with socks and newspaper, and saved a nearby pizzeria’s number to your phone. What’s next?

Moving is a lot of work, even with the help of professional movers. It’s an exciting start to a new chapter of your life, but comes with a lot of uncertainties – especially if you’re moving cross country. Most moving tips and hacks focus on packing, but what about the before and after? Here’s a list of 16 uncommon tips to make preparing, packing, moving, and settling in as smooth as possible.

Survival Kit Backpacks

The first few days of a move can be tough for kids and adults alike. You probably already have a box of snacks and bottled water ready for moving day. That’s a great start – but take it all out and start over. Make individualized survival kits for each person using backpacks instead.

Backpacks are great for survival kits because they have plenty of pockets for organization. They are easy to carry around, and can be customized to fit the particular needs and desires of each individual family member. Whether this means different dietary concerns, emergency supplies, or beverage preferences, this small measure goes a long way for comfort.

Consider including the following items:

  • High protein snacks to keep your body going all day
  • Plenty of bottled water or a reusable water bottle
  • An electrolyte beverage of choice, like coconut water (or Pedialyte for kids)
  • Travel-size toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant
  • Phone charger
  • Two outfits to change into

Don’t try to pack enough snacks to substitute for meals – consider ordering takeout or picking up some frozen pizza to make mealtime easy until your kitchen is in order.

Take advantage of an empty house

If you are able to, make a trip to your new home the day before the move to clean and do some general move-in maintenance. It’s much easier to clean an empty home, so